Luck and Loyalty
by Blue Wolf2
Summary: Jack and Teague have a talk before the pirates leave for war.


It had been decided. The Brethren court would go to war at dawn by the order of the Pirate King; Captain Elizabeth Swann.

The court still had several hours before daybreak and each pirate spent it in a different way. Captain Teague, keeper of the code, spent his time watching his son from his chair.

Jack had approached him after the decision had been made, commenting that he had done the right thing, the only thing to survive. Teague had told him that life wasn't about simply surviving. It was about living with yourself while you survived. He only hoped that his son would not regret his somewhat hasty decision.

Teague watched as Jack conversed with his quartermaster. Jack spoke quickly, waving his hands about as Gibbs watched his Captain intently. Jack said something and as Gibbs nodded, glanced over at his father.

Two pairs of kohl lined eyes met and Teague held his son's gaze as he ended his conversation with a wave of his jeweled hand and sauntered over to him.

"Captain," Jack said with a tip of his head.

"Jackie," Teague replied, placing his guitar next to his chair. He rose and those in the room watched. Some were terrified, while others were curious as to what was going on. "Come, let's have a drink." The older Sparrow said, beckoning his offspring with his hand.

Jack looked behind him at _The Pearl's_ group. Barbossa stared at him through narrowed eyes. Elizabeth had a look of curiosity upon her face and Gibbs looked as if he would pass out from shock in a matter of minutes. Jack gave them a nod and followed his father up the wooden stairs to the quarters of the one who protected the code.

"I heard 'bout the locker," Teague said as the door closed.

"Did ye?" Jack asked as his eyes wandered around the room. Teague made his way to a small table covered with bottles of wine and rum.

"Aye and of the Kraken." Jack became silent as his father poured two drinks. "Honestly Jackie, I don't know where ye get yer luck." He turned now, the drinks in hand. "Cause it ain't from me."

"Tis just luck Pa," Jack said taking a drink and Teague smiled hearing his son call him by something other than Captain.

"Maybe so, but sooner or later yer luck is bound to run out." He studied Jack, whose eyes were on the rim of his glass as if life depended on it. "Ye escape the East India Trading Company with no more than a brand, then ye survive a mutiny and being marooned. You make it in and out of Port Royal, one of the most heavily guarded ports in the Caribbean. You survive a battle with an un dead Captain, you slip free from a hanging. You leave Calypso with yer face still intact." Hearing this, Jack rubbed his face. Teague took a drink before continuing.

"Then of course, ye face Davy Jones himself along with his Kraken and ye make it out of the locker. There's no man who can say he's done all that and be truly honest."

"It's what makes a legend though. And ye forgot the cannibals." Jack said taking a drink and setting the glass down. "And if all that hadn't happened there would be no point."

"The point is to stay alive, not to try to find the best way to die." Teague snapped and Jack looked up to see his father staring at him, his dark eyes piercing his soul.

Jack swallowed. "I don't go looking for trouble," he said. "Trouble always finds me."

"Maybe so," Teague said sitting down. "But if yer not careful you'll lose it."

"It's quite easy to lose luck Pa,"

"I ain't talking about luck Jackie."

Jack looked up, his beads clinking together. "What ye talkin about then?"

"Their loyalty," Teague said.

"Who's loyalty?" Jack asked as he picked up an apple and tossed it back and forth. He always hated talking about feelings.

"Yer crew's. Turner and Swann. Even that ex first mate of yers."

"Barbossa is not loyal to me. He betrayed me and left me to die."

"Maybe so. But dying can do a lot to a man. Make him see what he needs to change. It happened to you."

"I didn't die and I didn't change." Jack snapped, dropping the apple and watching it roll across the floor.

"Then why did ye vote for Captain Swann?"

"Because we need to fight. And she's the only one willing to do it."

"And?" Teague pressed on.

"Because…it's the right thing to do." Jack said and turned to look at his father.

Teague gave a small nod of his head. "Aye, it is the right thing to do. I just hope yer luck doesn't run out." Jack nodded to himself as a voice downstairs sounded.

"All hands to yer boats!" Teague slowly stood.

"Ye heard the King. It's time." Teague made his way to his son, who stood still watching the sunrise through the single window in the room. Reaching his son, Teague stuck out his hand. "To luck and loyalty. And to hoping if ye should lose one it sh'ant be the later."

Jack shook his father's hand and pulled him into a hug. It was an unusual and uncharacteristic thing to do, but both held on tight, for they did not know when they would see each other again.

Soon they pulled apart and Teague watched as his son made his way down the stairs to his crew.


End file.
